Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli on Saturday dismissed calls by some for the Republican party to "rebrand" or remake itself in the wake of the 2012 elections and offered an olive branch to supporters of Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who announced this week he does not plan to seek the GOP nomination for governor next year. "Many of you have heard me talk about our first principles — principles that our Founding Fathers recognized were a gift to us from God," Mr. Cuccinelli, who is running for governor, said at the Republican Party of Virginia Advance in Virginia Beach,...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Powell September 24, 2009 202-248-5084 jpowell@hillsdale.edu Hillsdale College First Principles on First Fridays Lecture: “American Renewal: Is It Too Late To Reclaim Our Principles and Our Country?” Washington, D.C. — Matthew Spalding will deliver this month’s “First Principles on First Fridays” lecture, sponsored by Hillsdale College's Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship in Washington, D.C. It will take place on Friday, October 2, from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. at Ebenezers Coffee House, located at 201 F Street, N.E. Coffee, fruit, and pastries will be served. The lecture topic will be “American...

Right up front, let me state that this column is for ACADEMIC purposes only. According to friends of mine still with our government, because of my last novel, my home phone and computer became the subject of curiosity for at least two of our three-letter agencies. The novel was entitled “America’s Last Days” and dealt with a revolution led by a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former Director of the FBI. Both men felt that the United States of their childhoods, of traditional values, and of true sovereignty, was in a death-spiral from which it...

A few weeks ago, Fred Thompson exited the race for President. In the wake of that decision, the FredHeads and the members of DraftFredThompson.com engaged in a whole lot of soul-searching and vigorous discussion as to what to do next. Fred's candidacy may have come to an end, but our faith in the principles that originally drew us to Fred was as strong as ever. The product of that soul-searching and vigorous discussion is Conservatives for the Advancement of the Reagan Coalition, a new organization formed to advance the key conservative principles articulated by men like Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan...

Fred on the Issues (from www.Fred08.com) National Security The first responsibility of government is to protect the American people, the homeland, and our way of life. Today we face the urgent threat of radical Islamic terrorists. Al Qaeda is committed to attacking us here at home, and wants to use weapons of mass destruction (WMD) to kill millions. We must never give them that opportunity. We must defeat the terrorists abroad, and that begins in Iraq and Afghanistan—the central fronts in this global war. We must show the world we have the will to fight and win. A weakened America...

Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty recently endorsed fellow Law & Order star Fred Thompson for President of the United States. During a telephone conversation with this writer, Moriarty said: "Whoever does occupy the White House will not overturn Roe v. Wade, nor will he or she put the dictatorial Supreme Court in its place. "However, I will personally vote for Mr. Fred Thompson and help his campaign as best I can, but I don't believe his entrance into this campaign ever carried enough pro-life commitment to do the job that has to be done. In addition, since...

You gotta love a guy who will stand in the middle of Iowa farmland and refuse to pander to the subsidy-hungry ag industry: AKD: What will you do for the farmers of Bremer County? FT: (laughs) AKD: You knew this was coming, right? FT: I would continue to enjoy the fruits of their labor. I've been looking all over Iowa for a bad steak and I can't find it. Been trying my best. It's not a matter of what I would do for the farmers. Farmers are not looking for a president to hand them something. Farmers want fair treatment...

SoCalPundit.com endorsed Fred Thompson for the Republican nomination not because he was the candidate raising the most money or the candidate with the most name recognition (though in a national election I think he would) but because he is the true conservative candidate in the GOP field. All due respect to Alan Keyes of course. After a shaky start to a late campaign, it looked like Fred was dead in the water. But a Google search for the candidate today reveals some indication that Fred is catching up in Iowa and other early primary states where Fred must make a...

From the Thompson campaign, good ol' voter outreach via cell phone: Dear Friends, Right now, Fred is traveling all over Iowa delivering his consistent conservative message. He needs your help in getting the word out to even more people. On Thursday night and Saturday we're holding national phone banks calling Iowa voters. All you need is your mobile or land line phone and a computer connected to the internet. With Phone for Fred we provide the phone numbers and a script. Simply go to Phone for Fred and select Iowa to get started. Person to person contact will make a...

So I have taken my time in deciding which candidate I will endorse for President of the United States, but with the Iowa Caucuses coming up, it is indeed time for me to put up or shut up. Before I get to the candidate of my choice, it behooves me to discuss briefly a few of the other contenders. There's a lot more below. A whole lot more. Read on . . . First, there is Rudy Giuliani. His attractions are many. He is very smart, very serious and a significantly more disciplined as a candidate for President than he...

As regular VC readers know, I am one of several conspirators who is supporting Fred Thompson's campaign for President. I cannot speak for the others, but my reasons for supporting Thompson include his commitment to federalism, his candor on important issues other candidates would prefer to avoid (e.g. entitlements), and his record on regulatory reform and government oversight over the past thirty years. For National Review's pentultimate issue (the one before they endorsed Mitt Romney), I authored an article making the conservative case for Thompson. For those without subscriptions to the print magazine, here is an excerpt: Sen. Fred Thompson...

Vermont Right to Life is the latest statewide pro-life organization to back Fred Thompson's bid for the Republican nomination for president. Their endorsement follows on the heels of those from state pro-life groups in West Virginia, New York, Wyoming, and Wisconsin. In a statement sent to LifeNews.com, Sharon Toborg, treasurer of the Vermont Right to Life Political Committee, says the endorsement reflects Thompson's consistent pro-life views and his ability to win the nomination and general election. “It is great that so many candidates in the Republican Primary are pro-life and have been strong friends of the pro-life effort," she said....

<p>"...It was an odd time for a dispassionate look at federalist theory. Fifteen people had been killed in one of the worst school shootings in US history. Even the National Rifle Association had scaled back its annual meeting.</p>
<p>But in many ways, it was signature Thompson: a defiant faith in his own judgment, an indifference to political fallout, and a near zealotry about the limits of government. A few days after his hearing, he not only opposed a juvenile-justice overhaul backed by his own party but was one of just three senators to vote against funds for a set of antiviolence programs.</p>

Freddie Thompson hit full height in the 10th grade, some 6 feet, 5 3/4 inches. His buddies called him "Stick." He was a nice-looking kid, played football and basketball, chased girls, horsed around in class, rarely cracked a book. "Basically, just a carefree, underachieving kid," he says today. "Pretty good kid. Never gotten in trouble or anything like that. But didn't care much about my studies." Years ago, he put it a different way in an interview with The Washington Post: "I was interested in two things -- and sports was one of them." He must have had something going...

Three GW law professors have endorsed Republican candidate Fred Thompson's campaign for the presidency, joining the Lawyers for Fred coalition. Professors John Fitzgerald Duffy, Orin Kerr and Michael Abramowicz are members of the Law Professors Committee within the coalition. "Sen. Thompson is proud of his experience working as a federal prosecutor," said Darrel Ng, a spokesperson for the Friends of Fred Thompson campaign. "That's why he decided to form something like that (coalition), because of his background." Ng said that having endorsement groups for presidential candidates is an important part of the campaign process. "In campaigns you try to find...

Here at the Campaign Spot, we've previously wondered if Rush Limbaugh, officially neutral in the GOP presidential primary, prefers one of the candidates and is periodically offering statements that seem to be an endorsement-without-an-official-endorsement. Earlier today, Limbaugh was chuckling and enjoying the following exchange between Fred Thompson and Charlie Rose — an exchange that suggests that Rose is fuzzy on the difference between "principles" and "issues." CHARLIE ROSE: You constantly say in this campaign that you are a conservative. What does that mean today? Is George Bush a conservative? FRED THOMPSON: Well, let`s talk about me. (LAUGHTER) I thought we...

"I just want to give my buddies here a little air time." -- Fred Thompson sounding like Ronald Reagan (after showing a video about Romney and Huckabee that would take the bark off the trees, and being told the others would have time to respond) ... Thompson's video utilized YouTube clips that have been circulating for quite some time on YouTube. Only this time, they are also being broadcast on CNN. My bet is getting this negative information out is a lot better use of his time than merely putting out some puff-piece ...

I'm not entirely thrilled with anybody who's running for president at this point, although some of them have their good points. Right today, I'm just thinking broadly on some of Fred Thompson's good points. That's because he had an interesting confrontation on Fox News earlier today with reporter Chris Wallace, to whom he gave on air criticism of FNC for their coverage of his campaign. He didn't try to intimidate the host with a wagging finger and threatening gestures like Bill Clinton, or send out third party threats and cheap manipulation like Hillary. Instead, he had some specific grievances that...

LADSON, S.C., Nov. 24 — Joe McCormick, a burly man over six feet tall, a World War II-era Mauser rifle at his side, said he was frightened. “Giuliani scares me,” Mr. McCormick said of Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. “What does a mayor of New York know about guns?” Fred D. Thompson, who was about 30 yards away — just past the “Confederate Cutlery” collection of knives, fingering an M-1 rifle at the Land of Sky Gun Show here Saturday — was more his kind of candidate. Mr....

This is a rush transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," November 20, 2007. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET and listen to the "Radio Factor!" LAURA INGRAHAM, GUEST CO-HOST: One candidate is seeing some challenges, though, in the polls. And that's Fred Thompson, who was in last place in the latest New Hampshire survey, second place in most national polls. And joining us right now from Washington is Jeri Thompson, the wife of Fred Thompson. Jeri, it's great to see you. JERI...

Calling himself "a consistent, common sense conservative," former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson brought his presidential campaign to Le Mars Tuesday afternoon. "I've always been my own man," the GOP presidential hopeful told a crowd of 50 at 4 Brothers Bar & Grill. "I'm the same person today that I was yesterday and I'll be that same person tomorrow." Thompson, a two-term Tennessee Senator, is perhaps best known for acting in such movies as "The Hunt for Red October" and "Die Hard 2: Die Harder," and for playing hard-nosed District Attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's long-running procedural drama, "Law & Order."...

McLean, VA - Senator Fred Thompson issued the following statement regarding today's scientific breakthrough in adult cell research: "There is exciting news for patients today. In yet another breakthrough for adult cell research, scientists have made normal human skin cells take on the relevant properties of embryonic stem cells. That is in addition to 73 breakthroughs for adult and cord blood research to date. There are still no embryonic stem cell breakthroughs. "For all who are concerned for patients and their families, the effective, ethical, and compassionate answer is to put our money where the breakthroughs are happening -- in...

GOP presidential contender Fred Thompson brought his message to religious conservatives in Hollywood after a stopover in Pensacola. Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson polished his conservative credentials Friday as he emphasized family values and traditional policy pillars in a speech Friday night to a conservative religious group. The Florida Family Policy Council invited Thompson to be the keynote speaker at at a dinner at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood. The group is an off-shoot of James Dobson's Focus on the Family and has advocated a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The group is not endorsing the Republican...

Thursday, November 15, 2007 What Fred Said [Larry Kudlow] I just sat down with presidential candidate Fred Thompson, for an interview that will air tonight on Kudlow & Company. The former Tennessee senator was in good form. He attacked Warren Buffet’s tax-hike proposal on the rich as totally wrong, and Buffett himself as nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Democratic party. He agreed with Dick Armey that the GOP will lose if it departs from the first principles of limited government and lower tax rates. He called the farm bill “disgraceful” and would veto it if he were president....

MC LEAN, Va., Nov. 14 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today the Fred Thompson campaign announced its Students For Fred National and State Leadership Teams. These student volunteers will be actively leading the Fred Thompson grassroots efforts on college campuses across the nation. Matthew Farrar will serve as the Florida Chairman as well as a National Co-Chair of Students for Fred Thompson. A senior political science major at Florida State University, Farrar has previously served on the 2006 Charlie Crist Gubernatorial campaigns and has worked on numerous state races throughout Florida. "Sen. Fred Thompson has made it clear that he is the...

The most cynical group currently operating on the American political stage, the National Right to Life Committee has endorsed the most cynical man to seek the presidency in recent memory, Fred Thompson, for the Republican nomination. It is a perfect match, although not one that can be said to have been "made in Heaven." After all, what brings the National Right to Life Committee and Fred Thompson together is the fact that both the interest group and the candidate have sold their souls to the highest bidder. National Right to Life gave its blessing to Thompson despite the fact that...

Fred Thompson is the Republican most likely to beat abortion-rights supporter Rudy Giuliani, the National Right to Life Committee said Tuesday, announcing its endorsement of the former Tennessee senator for president. "While there are various polls, and some are up-and-down, the overwhelming consensus has been that he is best-positioned to top pro-abortion candidate Rudy Giuliani for the Republican nomination," the group's executive director, David N. O'Steen, said at a news conference. ...By emphasizing Thompson's political potential _ he ranks second behind former New York Mayor Giuliani in national Republican polls _ the anti-abortion group played down its own differences with...

As I have said in months past, the reports of the death of social conservatism within the Republican Party are greatly exaggerated. There isn't a candidate in the Republican Primaries that doesn't dream of the opportunity to get key endorsements from the social Right. Rudy Guiliani would even like to get a few more than just Pat Robertson-after all, Robertson has been discredited within the conservative movement for a very long time. On the other hand, the idea that pro-family social conservatives are in total control of the GOP is something that both the press and the Democrats have attempted...

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Conservative and credible. Those were the double-barrel credentials former U.S. senator and current Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson emphasized Sunday evening. Thompson spoke to around 100 people at a Veterans Day meet-and-greet at the Mount Pleasant Moose Lodge that followed a similar event in Burlington, which drew a slightly larger crowd. To his Mount Pleasant audience, Thompson painted a picture of a GOP facing trouble in 2008, with control of the White House in doubt, 21 senators facing re-election (compared to just 12 for Democrats) and many moderate voters swinging to the other side. "I don't mean...

Republican Presidential candidate Fred Thompson will make his first visit to the Grand Strand on Tuesday. The former Tennessee senator will meet and greet voters at the NASCAR Cafe at 1808 21st Avenue North in Myrtle Beach. The event starts at 4:15 p.m. Prior to his visit to Myrtle Beach, Thompson is scheduled to address students, faculty and staff at the Citadel. Thompson will speak at McAlister Field House.

Burlington, Ia. — Republican Fred Thompson told potential supporters on Sunday that he’s running for president as a champion of ideals held by all Americans: a strong national defense, adherence to the rule of law and a market economy. “And immigration laws that actually work,” Thompson said at the outset. “That’s not just a Republican idea, I don’t think.” Speaking at Big Muddy’s restaurant in Burlington, the former Tennessee senator said he would be able to secure the votes of independents in a general election. Thompson criticized what he called Democrats’ insistence on infusing government into everything. “Would you trust...

Washington (AHN) - Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson proposed Friday to reduce promised retirement benefits and to create a system of voluntary personal retirement accounts that can also help to finance the Social Security program. Under the proposal, retirement benefits for workers who are now 58 and older will not be affected. Employees who are now younger will get smaller monthly Social Security pensions because their benefits will be calculated based on the yearly increase in prices. Meanwhile, the personal retirement accounts will be funded with workers' contributions to be matched by funds from the Social Security trust fund. Workers...

In September, I posted another vanity (linked below) in which I observed that the historical trends in this election favored Fred Thompson. Since then, his RCP average has dropped from about 22% to 16-17%. In the more volatile Rasmussen daily tracking poll, he has also dropped to 16%, about a 10 point drop from his post announcement high. In light of the above poll numbers, is it time for me to issue a mea culpa? No. This is not at all inconsistent with the hypothesis of my previous post. Neither of the successful insurgent candidates in modern times, Reagan or...

The United States is committed to the security of Israel and the safety of the Israeli people. The historical, familial and cultural ties of our peoples are the basis of this commitment. It is strengthened by the shared values and shared interests of our nations. Our mutual goal is an economically and militarily strong Israel at peace with its neighbors. We must exercise our traditional leadership role in the region and continue our longstanding support to Israel to achieve this vision. Key Issues Security Cooperation. Security assistance to Israel is a key pillar of U.S. foreign policy and provides a...

Here's your chance to make a cameo appearance in Fred's Presidential campaign. Make a video telling us why you support Fred Thompson for President and upload it using the form below. We'll share these videos with all of our supporters on Fred08.com, and allow you, and them, to pick the best one. Here's your chance to be a star. Submit your video now. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sure, Fred Thompson is an accomplished lawyer, prosecuting criminals in Tennessee before serving as counsel on the Watergate hearings. And yes, he served the people of Tennessee as a common sense, conservative Senator for eight years....

Presidential candidate Fred Thompson will be a special guest at a tribute dinner for state Republican Party Chairman Jim Herring on Nov. 19 at the Jackson Hilton on County Line Road. Thompson will join Herring and other state GOP leaders at the event beginning with a 5:30 p.m. reception. The dinner is being hosted by the Mississippi Republican Elected Officials Association. When he considers the position of the Republican Party in Mississippi, Herring thinks the hard work in the past is paying huge dividends in the present. "The most satisfying part of it is seeing your organization grow and prosper,...

Many active duty military are praising Fred Thompson, as the conservative leader they want as the next Commander in Chief. Typical of these comments is this one from a soldier in Ohio: "As a soldier, I know there is some pressure to not get involved in anything political, but as a current member of the finest Army to have ever existed, and a Combat Veteran of the crucial Iraq campaign, I feel it is my duty as a patriotic American to see a good conservative succeed our current commander and chief. Every Soldier wants a leader that they can proudly...

FORT MILL -- Fred Thompson brought his made-for-TV personality to York County for the first time on Tuesday, delivering a talk that mixed his trademark Southern drawl with sharp words for others in the Republican presidential field. Thompson needed less than 15 seconds to dispatch with the obligatory assault on Democrats as strong on welfare programs and weak on national security. But he spent the rest of an hourlong visit to Beef 'O' Brady's restaurant pointing out differences with rivals in his own party. The strongest critique was saved for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who leads in the polls...

FORT MILL -- A campaign event in a bar, in the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday -- Fred Thompson seemed like my kind of guy. And after he spoke at Beef 'O' Brady's in Fort Mill -- which is technically a restaurant, but any place with eight beers on tap and ashtrays on the bar is a bar -- many of about 150 people who packed the place said Fred Thompson is their kind of guy, too. Especially guys like Ed Egan. From between Rock Hill and York, 63 years old, Marine Corps helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Egan...

Going by unique visitors, Fred Thompson easily leads among the presidential candidates from both parties with 635,000 for fred08.com easily beating second place Obama's 433,000 for whatever his site is. Surprisingly, Ron Paul, whose supporters have nothing better to do than hang out on the internet all day, rank's third among Republicans and sixth overall. I think Fred Thompson's site would get even more traffic if it had like some cool flash games where you control Fred Thompson shooting terrorists and communists in the face and then have a bonus round where you cut taxes with a machete. The first...

The returns are mixed on Fred Thompson's first two months in the presidential race. The Republican candidate has battled criticism for his light campaign schedule, laid-back style and rambling speeches. He's flubbed questions. He's slipped some in national and early-primary polls. Yet, he's still competitive with Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain in many surveys. He turned in a pair of decent debate performances. And he raised $12.5 million over four months from 80,000 donors. "Of all the candidates that are out there, he's the one who most closely represents my values. He has my vote," said Laura Clark,...

This advertisement, the first for Fred D. Thompson since he announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, is to begin running today in Iowa and nationally on the Fox News Channel. PRODUCER Revolution Media Group. THE SCRIPT Mr. Thompson says: “I’ve been a conservative my whole life. I grew up in a little hometown just like this. Started the first Young Republican Club in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. “In eight years in the United States Senate, I fought for tax cuts and for conservative judges. And I’m proud to have had a 100 percent pro-life voting record. “Common-sense conservative principles. Free...

Mclean, VA - Today on the steps of the State House in Columbia, SC, surrounded by numerous veterans, Senator Fred Thompson was joined by Major General James Livingston and Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya to launch Veterans for Fred Thompson. Major General James Livingston, a 33 year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, will serve as the National Co-Chair of Veterans for Fred Thompson. On May 2, 1968, while serving as the Commanding Officer, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, he distinguished himself above and beyond the call of duty in action against enemy forces and earned the Congressional Medal...

Fred Thompson took his acid bath this morning on Meet the Press. Measured by the traditional standards of Sunday morning political theater, it was an uneven performance. Fred did well on international affairs and "stumbled" on domestic policy. His answer on abortion in particular will come as an uncomfortable revelation to some of his more conservative supporters. I have a team of Jesuits attempting to unravel the yarn-balled logic of Fred's rambling answer, but it appears to boil down to this: "I'm 100 percent pro-life and have voted 100 percent pro-life. I hope one day Roe will be overturned and...

Kathryn thinks Thompson's answer on abortion was muddled. (Between the muddiness and meandering, he's the Mississippi River of political rhetoric.) But I'll just note that for wary pro-lifers, Fred Thompson can say something that Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani can't, which is, "look at my record." Maybe that won't be enough for some people; maybe they'll conclude that Romney is speaking more boldly and making more credible promises. But it seems that one way or another, pro-lifers are going to have to compromise with a less than ideal candidate this cycle. Besides Giuliani's obvious flaws and Romney's conversion on the...

Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson waded into the sensitive issue of American race relations at a campaign stop in New Hampshire, acknowledging that he was raised in a region of the South where many people once saw the issue “through the wrong prism.” But what separated him, he said, was his mother’s morality. “I had my own experience growing up in a small town in Tennessee,” the former Hollywood actor and Tennessee senator said when asked if he had personal experiences with racism and how a U.S. president should handle the issue. “Looking back upon that now, I know that...

MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 5 /Standard Newswire/ -- Today the Fred Thompson campaign announced the addition of Shannon Royce, an experienced social conservative coalitions director and former Executive Director of The Arlington Group, who will be joining the Thompson Campaign to serve as Grassroots and Special Projects Director. Shannon Royce most recently served as Executive Director of the Arlington Group where she managed a coalition of over 70 organizations advocating on numerous pro-family initiatives. In that capacity, she coordinated coalition efforts on behalf of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. A former Legislative Assistant to Senator Slade Gorton and...

Senator Fred Thompson appeared for the hour on "Meet the Press" with Tim Russert and it was evident that this is a more comfortable milieu for him then the debate format at this point in the campaign. He talked easily and comfortably about issues of foreign policy such as Pakistan and Iran - and displayed a staunch defense of federalism with some positions that may not please some of the members of the base. Thompson certainly came across as authentic - and his grasp of foreign policy issues gives lie to the contention that those with executive experience have a...

When word began circulating in Republican circles last spring that former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson was considering a run for the presidency, the reaction ranged from relief the party had finally found a suitable standard - bearer to squeals of delight about the actor/politician and his resemblance to former President Ronald Reagan. It was arguably the high mark of the campaign thus far. Thompson seemed to squander the summer as he considered his run and raised fewer campaign dollars than hoped. Once he hit the campaign trail, he was forced to acknowledge ignorance about some local issues when stumping across...